A

SEMINAR REPORT ON
REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM

DEPARTMENT OF MECHANICAL ENGINEERING

THE SEMINAR REPORT ON :
REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM

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SeminarsTopics.com

ABSTRACT
Regenerative Braking S yste m is the wa y of slowing vehicle b y using the
motors as brakes. Instead of the surplus energy of the vehicle being wasted
as unwanted heat, the motors act as generators and return some of it to the
o v e r h e a d w i r e s a s e l e c t r i c i t y.
The vehicle is primaril y powered from the electrical energy generated from
the generator, which burns gasoline.

This energy is stored in a large

b a t t e r y, a n d u s e d b y a n e l e c t r i c m o t o r t h a t p r o v i d e s m o t i v e f o r c e t o t h e
wheels.

The regenerative barking taking place on the vehicle is a way to

obtain more efficienc y; instead of converting kinetic energy to thermal

energy through frictional braking, the vehicle can convert a good fraction of
i t s k i n e t i c e n e r g y b a c k i n t o c h a r g e i n t h e b a t t e r y, u s i n g t h e s a m e p r i n c i p l e
as an alternator.

LIST OF FIGURES
Fig. 1

G r a p h i c a l r e p r e s e n t a t i o n o f e n e r g y u s a g e b e t w e e n t w o v e h i c l e s.

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Fig. 2

M e r c u r y H yb r i d M a r i n e r

Fig. 3

R e g e n e r a t i v e B r a k i n g S ys t e m U s i n g N i t i n o l S p r i n g .

CONTENTS
1. INTRODUCTION
2. NECESSITY OF THE SYSTEM
3. REGENRATIVE BRAKE
4. ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM

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5. DESCRIPTION & OPERATION

6. RESULTS
7. CONCLUSION

CHAPTER 1: INTRODUCTION

Brake:A brake is a machine element and its principle object is to absorb

energy during deceleration.

In vehicle brakes are used to absorb kinetic

energy whereas in hoists or elevators brakes are also used to absorb

p o t e n t i a l e n e r g y.

By connecting the moving me mbe r to stationar y fra me,

n o r m a l l y b r a k e c o n v e r t s k i n e t i c e n e r g y t o h e a t e n e r g y. T h i s c a u s e s w a s t a g e
of energy and also wearing of frictional lining material.
Regenerative Braking S yste m:-

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Regenerative Braking S yste m is the wa y of slowing vehicle b y using

the motors as brakes.

Instead of the surplus energy of the vehicle being

wasted as unwanted heat, the motors act as generators and return some of it
t o t h e o v e r h e a d w i r e s a s e l e c t r i c i t y.
The vehicle is primaril y powered from the electrical energy generated from
the generator, which burns gasoline.

This energy is stored in a large

b a t t e r y, a n d u s e d b y a n e l e c t r i c m o t o r t h a t p r o v i d e s m o t i v e f o r c e t o t h e
wheels.

The regenerative barking taking place on the vehicle is a way to

obtain more efficienc y; instead of converting kinetic energy to thermal

energy through frictional braking, the vehicle can convert a good fraction of
i t s k i n e t i c e n e r g y b a c k i n t o c h a r g e i n t h e b a t t e r y, u s i n g t h e s a m e p r i n c i p l e
as an alternator.
T herefore, if you drive long distance without braking, you ll be
powering the vehicle entirely from gasoline. The regenerative braking
Regenerative Braking S yste m comes into its own when you r e driving in the
c i t y, a n d s p e n d i n g a g o o d d e a l o f y o u r t i m e b r a k i n g .
You w i l l s t i l l u s e m o r e f u e l i n t h e c i t y f o r e a c h m i l e y o u d r i v e t h a n o n t h e
h i g h w a y, t h o u g h . ( T h e r m o d y n a m i c s t e l l s u s t h a t a l l i n e f f i c i e n c y c o m e s f r o m
heat generation. For instance, when yo u brake, the brake pedals heat up and
a q u a n t i t y o f h e a t , o r e n e r g y, i s l o s t t o t h e o u t s i d e w o r l d .

Friction in the

e n g i n e p r o d u c e s h e a t i n t h e s a m e w a y.
H e a t e n e r g y, a l s o , h a s h i g h e r e n t r o p y t h a n , s a y, e l e c t r i c , m e a n i n g t h a t i t i s
less ordered.)
Definition:
Braking method in which the mechanical energy from the load is
converted into electric energy and regenerated back into the line is
k n o wn a s R e g e n e r at i v e B r a k i n g. T he Mo t o r o p e r at e s a s g e n e r at o r.
R e g e n e r a t i v e B r a k i n g F o r H y b r i d Veh i c l e :
I n m o s t e l e c t r i c a n d h y b r i d e l e c t r i c v e h i c l e s o n t h e r o a d t o d a y, t h i s i s
accomplished by operating the traction motor as a generator, providing
braking torque to the wheels and recharging the traction batteries.

The

energy provided by regenerative braking can then be used for propulsion or

to power vehicle accessories.

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CHAPTER 2: NECESSITY OF THE SYSTEM

The regenerative braking s yste m delivers a nu mber of significant
advantages over a car that only has friction brakes. In low-speed, stop-andgo traffic where little deceleration is required; the regenerative braking
s yste m can provide the majorit y of the total braking force.
i mproves

fuel

economy

with

vehicle,

and

further

This vastly
enhances

attractiveness of vehicles using regenerative braking for city driving.

the
At

higher speeds, too, regenerative braking has been shown to contribute to

i mproved fuel economy by as much as 20%.
Consider a heavy loaded truck having very few stops on the road. It is
o p e r a t e d n e a r m a x i m u m e n g i n e e f f i c i e n c y. T h e 8 0 % o f t h e e n e r g y p r o d u c e d
i s u t i l i z e d t o o v e r c o m e t h e r o l l i n g a n d a e r o d yn a m i c r o a d f o r c e s . T h e e n e r g y
w a s t e d i n a p p l yi n g b r a k e i s a b o u t 2 % .

Al s o i ts br a ke s pe ci f i c f uel

consumption is 5%.
Now consider a vehicle, which is operated in the main cit y where
t r a f f i c i s a m a j o r p r o b l e m h e r e o n e h a s t o a p p l y b r a k e f r e q u e n t l y.

For such

vehicles the wastage of energy by application of brake is about 60% to 65%.

And also it is inefficient as its brake specific fuel consumption is high.

Road 80%

Rake 65%
Other
18%

Brake 2%

HEAVY LOADED TRUCK

Road
26%
other 9%

CITY BUS

2.1 Graphical representation of energy usage between two vehicles.

Some of the advantages of regenerative braking over conventional braking

are as follows:
Energy Conservation:

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T h e f l yw h e e l a b s o r b s e n e r g y w h e n b r a k i n g v i a a c l u t c h s ys t e m s l o w i n g t h e
car down and speeding up the wheel.

To a c c e l e r a t e , a n o t h e r c l u t c h s ys t e m

connects the fl ywh eel to the drive train, speeding up the car and slowing
d o w n t h e f l yw h e e l .
heat

and

light

Energy is therefore conserved rather than wasted as

which

is

what

normally

happens

in

the

conte mporar y

shoe/disc s yste m.
Wea r R e d u c t i o n :
An electric drive train also allows for regenerative breaking which increases
Efficiency and reduces wear on the vehicle brakes.

In regenerative raking,

when the motor is not receiving power from the batter y pack, it resists the
turning of the wheels, capturing some of the energy of motion as if it were a
generator and returning that energy to the battery pack.

In mechanical

brakes; lessening wear and extending brake life is not possible. This reduces
the use of use the brake.
Fuel Consumption:
The fuel consumption of the conventional vehicles and regenerative braking
s yste m vehicles was evaluated over a course of various fixed urban driving
schedules.

The results are compared as shown in figure.

Representing the

s i g n i f i c a n t c o s t s a yi n g t o i t s o w n e r , i t h a s b e e n p r o v e d t h e r e g e n e r a t i v e
braking is very fuel-efficient.
Braking is not total loss:
C o n v e n t i o na l br a k e s a p p l y f ri c ti o n to c o n v er t a ve h i cl e s k i n et i c e n erg y i nt o
heat. In energy terms, therefore, braking is a total loss: once heat is
generated, it is very difficult to reuse.

T h e r e g e n e r a t i v e b r a k i n g s ys t e m ,

h o w e v e r , s l o w s a v e h i c l e d o w n i n a d i f f e r e n t w a y.
CHAPTER 3 :REGENERATIVE BRAKING SYSTEM
.
A regenerative brake is an apparatus, a device or system which allows a vehicle to recapture and store
part of the kinetic energy that would otherwise be 'lost' to heat when braking.

The IMA operating principle

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Honda's patented IMA concept is quite simple - use an efficient Otto engine
s u p p l e m e n t e d b y a n e l e c t r i c m o t o r w h e n a d d i t i o n a l p o w e r i s n e e d e d . Al s o
r e f e r r e d t o a s a ' h yb r i d ' s ys t e m b e c a u s e i t u s e s t w o p o w e r s o u r c e s , t h e I M A
c o n c e p t a l l o w s t h e C i v i c H yb r i d t o u s e a s m a l l e r g a s o l i n e e n g i n e w i t h o u t a n y
significant loss in perfor mance.

T h i s s ys t e m i s e s p e c i a l l y e f f e c t i v e d u e t o t h e f a c t t h a t a c c e l e r a t i o n r e q u i r e s a
significantly higher power than needed for cruising on a level road (where
v e h i c l e s s p e n d m o s t o f t h e i r t i m e ) . An e n g i n e m o r e p o w e r f u l t h a n n e e d e d h a s
to work under low load most of the ti me, condition where its efficienc y is
l o w e r t h a n u n d e r h i g h l o a d s , t h u s w o r s e n i n g t h e v e h i c l e ' s f u e l e c o n o m y. .
The electric motor-generator positioned between the engine and trans mission
assists the engine when accelerating and recovers energy to store in batteries
when braking or decelerating (regenerative braking), allowing it to operate
i n d e p e n d e n t l y w i t h o u t t h e n e e d f o r a g r i d p o w e r s u p p l y.
W h e n t h e C i v i c H yb r i d i s c o a s t i n g o r i t s b r a k e s a r e a p p l i e d , i t s e l e c t r i c m o t o r
becomes a generator, converting forward momentum (kinetic e ne rgy) i nt o
e l e c t r i c a l e n e r g y, i n s t e a d o f w a s t i n g i t a s h e a t d u r i n g c o n v e n t i o n a l b r a k i n g .
Energy is stored in a battery pack located behind the rear seat in the trunk.
I f t h e s t a t e o f c h a r g e o f t h e b a t t e r i e s i s l o w, t h e m o t o r - g e n e r a t o r w i l l a l s o
r e c h a r g e t h e m w h i l e t h e C i v i c H yb r i d i s c r u i s i n g .

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CHAPTER 4: ELEMENTS OF THE SYSTEM

There are three basic ele ment required which are necessar y for the working
of regenerative braking s yste m, these are :
1.Energy Storage Unit (ESU):
The ESU performs two primar y functions
1.TO recover & store braking energy
2. TO absorb excess engine energy during light load operation
The selection criteria for an effective energy storage includes
1. High specific energy storage density
2. High energy transfer rate
3. Small space requirement
The energy recaptured by regenerative braking mi ght be stored in one of
t h r e e d e v i c e s : a n e l e c t r o c h e m i c a l b a t t e r y, a f l y w h e e l , i n a r e g e n e r a t i v e f u e l
cell.

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Regen and Batteries:

W i t h t h i s s ys t e m , t h e e l e c t r i c m o t o r o f a c a r b e c o m e s a g e n e r a t o r w h e n t h e
brake pedal is applied. The kinetic energy of the car is used to generate
e l e c t r i c i t y t h a t i s t h e n u s e d t o r e c h a r g e t h e b a t t e r i e s . W i t h t h i s s ys t e m ,
traditional friction brakes must also be used to ensure that the car slows
d o w n a s m u c h a s n e c e s s a r y. T h u s , n o t a l l o f t h e k i n e t i c e n e r g y o f t h e c a r
can be harnessed for the batteries because some of it is "lost" to waste heat.
Some energy is also lost to resistance as the energy travels from the wheel
a n d a x l e , t h r o u g h t h e d r i v e t r a i n a n d e l e c t r i c m o t o r , a n d i n t o t h e b a t t e r y. F o r
e x a m p l e , t h e To y o t a P r i u s c a n o n l y r e c a p t u r e a b o u t 3 0 % o f t h e v e h i c l e s
k i n e t i c e n e r g y.
The Honda Insight is another vehicle in addition to the Prius that is on the
market and currently uses regenerative braking. In the Insight there are two
deceleration modes: When the throttle is engaged, but the brake pedal is
n o t , t h e v e h i c l e s l o w s d o w n g r a d u a l l y, a n d t h e b a t t e r y r e c e i v e s a p a r t i a l
charge.

When the brake pedal is depressed, the battery receives a higher

charge, which slows the vehicle down faster. The further the brake
pedal is depressed, the more the conventional friction brakes are
e mplo ye d.

I n t he I nsi ght , the mo t or / ge ne ra t or pr oduc e s AC, whi c h is c onve rt e d i nt o

DC, which is then used to charge the Battery Module. The Insight, as well
a s a l l o t h e r r e g e n e r a t i v e s ys t e m s , m u s t h a v e a n e l e c t r i c c o n t r o l l e r t h a t
regulates how much charge the batter y receives and how much the friction
brakes are used.
R e g e n a n d F l yw h e e l s :
I n t h i s s ys t e m , t h e t r a n s l a t i o n a l e n e r g y o f t h e v e h i c l e i s t r a n s f e r r e d i n t o
r o t a t i o n a l e n e r g y i n t h e f l yw h e e l , w h i c h s t o r e s t h e e n e r g y u n t i l i t i s n e e d e d
to accelerate the vehicle. The benefit of using fl ywh eel technolog y is that
more of the forward inertial energy of the car can be captured than in

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batteries, because the fl ywh eel can be engaged even during relativel y short
intervals of braking and acceleration. In the case of batteries, they are not
able to accept charge at these rapid intervals, and thus more energy is lost
t o f ri c ti on. Anot he r a dva nt a ge of fl ywh e e l te c hnol og y i s t ha t t he a ddit i onal
power

supplied

by

the

fl ywh eel

during

acceleration

substantially

s u p p l e m e n t s t h e p o w e r o u t p u t o f t h e s m a l l e n g i n e t h a t h yb r i d v e h i c l e s a r e
equipped with.

2 . C o n t i n u o u s l y Var i a b l e T r a n s m i s s i o n ( C V T ) :
The energy storage unit requires a transmission that can handle torque
and speed de mands in a steeples manner and smoothl y control energy flow
to and from the vehicle wheels.

F o r t h e f l yw h e e l t h e c o n t i n u o u s l y v a r i a b l e

t r a n s m i s s i o n a n d v e h i c l e b e c a u s e f l yw h e e l r o t a t i o n a l s p e e d i n c r e a s e s w h e n
vehicle speed decreases and vice versa.
Fl ywh eel

can

work

well

with

either

mechanical

or

h yd r o s t a t i c

continuousl y variable transmission.

3 . C o n t r o l S ys t e m :
A n O N - O F F e n g i n e c o n t r o l s ys t e m i s u s e d .

That means that the

engine is ON until the energy storage unit has been reached the desired
charge capacity and then is decoupled and stopped until the energy storage
unit charge fall below its mini mum require ment.

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C H A P T E R 5 : DESCRIPTION & OPERATION

How regenerative braking s yste m works?
Regenerative (or D yna mic Braking) occurs when the vehicle is in motion,
such as coasting, traveling downhill or braking.
is not being depressed.

And t he a cc e l er a t or pe dal

During Regent, the motor becomes a generator

and sends energy back to the batteries.

It is explained as follows, because the wheels of a decelerating
vehicle are still moving forward, the y can be made to turn the electric
motor, which then feeds energy to the batteries for storage.

The s yste m

becomes, in effect, a generator, which provides braking force while it

c o n v e r t s t h e v e h i c l e s k i n e t i c e n e r g y i n t o a r e u s a b l e f o r m - e l e c t r i c a l e n e r g y.
When the accelerator pedal is released, the absence of pressure
triggers a response from the Energy Storage Unit (ESU).

Regenerative

braking begins, and the batteries are re-charged by the motor, which is
turned by the wheels. In this case, the friction brakes are not engaged.

If

more vigorous deceleration is required, and the brake pedal is depressed,

this engages both sets of brakes.

H o w e v e r , t o m a x i m i z e e n e r g y e f f i c i e n c y,

it is advantageous to apply the regenerative brake as such as possible it

therefore tends to do more of its total work in the first part of the braking
motion.
There are two deceleration modes:
1. Foot off throttle but not on brake pedal in this mode, the charge/assist
g a u g e w i l l s h o w p a r t i a l c h a r g e , a n d t h e v e h i c l e w i l l s l o w d o w n g r a d u a l l y.

2. Foot on brake pedal - In this mode, a higher a mount of regeneration will

b e a l l o w e d , a n d t h e v e h i c l e w i l l s l o w m o r e r a p i d l y.

During light brake

pedal application, onl y the IMA motor//generator is slowing the car.

Wi t h

heavier brake pedal application, the conventional friction brakes also come
i n t o p l a y. W h e n d e c e l e r a t i n g , r e g e n e r a t i o n w i l l c o n t i n u e u 8 n t i l e n g i n e s p e e d

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falls to about 1000 rpm.

neutral.

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At t his poi nt, t he dr i ver wi ll t ypi c a l l y s hi ft i nt o

EXAMPLE

Mercury Hybrid Mariner

1 . M e r c u r y M a r i n e r H yb r i d
Production Pull ahead: Production begins a ye ar ahead of
schedule
Growing the Mercury Brand: New models and goals
Distinctive Design: Mariner features clean lines, careful
craftsmanship
P o w e r P l a y : F u l l - h yb r i d g a s o l i n e a n d e l e c t r i c p o w e r t r a i n
D yna mic Chassis: Ni mble handling and a s mooth, quiet ride
Distinguished Safet y: Full arra y of safet y features
Green Mission: Ford Motor Co mpan y's strateg y for sustainabilit y in
vehicles
T he Mercur y Mariner H ybr id offers a uniquel y satisf yin g transportation
choice for an ever-increasing segment of the population concerned about the
e n v i r o n m e n t . I t ' s a s t yl i s h , u p s c a l e s p o r t - u t i l i t y v e h i c l e w i t h n i m b l e
handling and i mpressive perfor mance, as well as a mple cargo and towing
c a p a c i t y. I n a d d i t i o n , i t ' s a n e n v i r o n m e n t a l l y c o n s c i o u s S U V w i t h
r e m a r k a b l e f u e l e c o n o m y a n e s t i m a t e d 3 3 m i l e s p e r g a l l o n ( m p g ) c i t y, 2 9
mpg highwa y and is expected to meet the cleanest e missions rating
a c h i e v a b l e b y a f o s s i l - f u e l v e h i c l e ( C a l i f o r n i a ' s A d v a n c e d Te c h n o l o g y
P a r t i a l Z e r o E m i s s i o n s Veh i c l e s t a n d a r d ) .
E n g i n e e r s p l a c e d t h e a d d i t i o n a l h yb r i d p o w e r t r a i n c o m p o n e n t s l o w a n d t o
the rear, to lower the center of gravit y and improve the conventional
Mariner's front-rear weight distribution.

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The rack-and-pinion steering is electrically assisted, rather than using the

traditional h ydraulic steering pu mp for consistent steering efforts and
control whether the gasoline engine is stopped or running. Regenerative
braking uses the traction motor to assist the four-wheel disc brakes in
slowing Mariner H ybrid while simultaneousl y generating electricit y for
c h a r g i n g t h e b a t t e r y.

R e g e n e r a t i v e b r a k i n g o f To y o t a P r i u s :
T o yo t a r e a l i z e d t h a t o n e w a y t o a c h i e v e l o n g e r v e h i c l e r a n g e w a s t o

conserve and reuse some of the energy that a vehicle nor mall y loses as heat
caused by braking friction.

This idea led engineers to apply the principles

of regenerative braking.
I n a l l To y o t a v e h i c l e s t h a t f e a t u r e t h e r e g e n e r a t i v e b r a k i n g s y s t e m ,
the regenerative brake is only responsible for a part of the deceleration
necessary to stop the vehicle.

I n a n E V, t h i s f r a c t i o n i s d e t e r m i n e d b y t h e

v e h i cl e s s p e e d wh e n b r a ki n g i s in it i at e d .

The re maining braking force is

p r o v i de d b y th e v e h i cl e s fr i ct i o n b r a k e s.

To m a x i m i z e f u e l e c o n o m y, o f

course, the regenerative braking s yste m is made to do as mu ch of the

braking work as possible.

C o m p o n e n t U s e d i n To y o t a P r i u s f o r R e g e n e r a t i v e B r a k i n g S ys t e m :
Brake Pedal:
I t i s u s e d t o a p p l y b r a ki n g f or c e b y t h e d ri v e r.
H ydr aulic Booster Unit:

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It is composed of the master c ylinder and the regulator, responds in two

steps. First it signals electronically to the brake ECU that braking force has
been demanded.

N e x t , t h e m a s t e r c y l i n d e r e x e r t s h yd r a u l i c p r e s s u r e o n t h e

p e d a l s t r o k e s i m u l a t o r , a n d t h e r e g u l a t o r f e e d s h yd r a u l i c f l u i d t o t h e
h ydraulic pressure control unit.
Brake ECU:
The brake ECU senses the braking de mand and sends a fraction of this
de mand to the THSECU for regenerative braking.
It also calculates the force necessar y to fulfill remaining braking de mand
and instruct the h ydraulic pressure control unit to pass on a corresponding
a m o u n t o f h yd r a u l i c f l u i d
Pedal Stroke Simulator:
I t a b s o r b s a n a m o u n t o f h y d r a u l i c p r e s s u r e f r o m m a s t e r c yl i n d e r t h a t
corresponds to the a mount of braking force applied by the regenerative
b r a k i n g s ys t e m .
As h ydraulic pressure is fed back to the pedal, the pedal, the pedal
stroke si mulator feeds back to the master c ylinder.

T H S ( T o yo t a H yb r i d S y s t e m ) E C U :
It induces regenerative braking, and returns a signal that indicates braking
force output back to the brake ECU.
H ydr aulic Pressure Control Unit:
It passes on a corresponding a mount of h ydraulic fluid to a four wa y
c ylinder.
C H A P T E R 6 : R E S U LT
Regenerative braking technology is one more positive step forward in
T o yo t a s q u e s t t o r e a l i z e t h e u l t i m a t e e c o c a r . B y w o r k i n g i n c o n c e r t w i t h
previously developed electric motor technologies, its application helps
T o yo t a s

electric

vehicles

and

h yb r i d

vehicles

(including

the

recently

released prius) to achieve extended ranges and to be friendlier to the

environment than ever before.

At t he s a me ti me , t his ne w te c hnol og y

remains unobtrusively in the background; drivers benefit from regenerative

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braking while enjo yin g the sa me firm braking feel found in conventionall y
equipped vehicles.

Wheel
Rotating Device.

Wheel A
Rotating Device B
Shafts C.D.
Gearbox E
Clutch G
Spring - H

Shafts.

Clutch

Gearbox

Spring

7.1 Regenerative braking system using Nitinol Spring

A hydraulic regenerative braking system improves the fuel

economy of Ford's F-350 Tonka 25-35% during stop-and-go
driving. The system provides power during initial

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acceleration when demand peaks.

T he HLA s yste m consists of a reversible h ydraulic pu mp/ motor fro m Eaton's

Fluid Power Group (Eden Prairie, MN) coupled to the drive shaft through a
c l ut c h and t wo a c c umul a t or s. As the dr i ver st e ps on the br a ke , t he
pu mp/ mo tor forces h ydraulic fluid out of a low-pressure accumulator and
into a high-pressure accumulator, increasing the pressure of nitrogen gas
stored there to 5,000 psi.
During acceleration, the HLA s yste m switches fro m the pu mp mode to the
motor mo de, the nitrogen gas forces the h ydr aulic fluid back into the lowpressure accumulator, and the pump/mot or applies torque to the driveshaft
through the clutch. If quick acceleration is required, the F-350's diesel
e n g i n e w o r k s w i t h t h e H L A s ys t e m

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T h e h yd r a u l i c l a u n c h a s s i s t s ys t e m i n t h e F - 3 5 0 Ton k a f u n c t i o n s a s a
secondar y source of energy during peak power de mand. It consists of a lowpressure accumulator in blue, and a high-pressure accumulator in red. The
s yste m captures energy nor mall y dissipated as heat during breaking, stores
it, and uses it later during periods of peak power de mand.
Eighty percent of the initial kinetic energy is returned to the vehicle. "The
s y s t e m s t o r e s a p p r o x i m a t e l y 3 8 0 k J o f e n e r g y, " s a ys B r a d B o h l m a n n , a
me c ha ni c a l engi ne er a nd bus i ne s s de ve l opme nt c oor di na t or i n Adva nc e d
T ec h n o l o g y a t E a t o n ' s F l u i d P o w e r G r o u p . " W i t h t h a t m u c h e n e r g y, w e c a n
accelerate a 10,000-lb vehicle from a dead stop to between 25 and 30 miles
per hour with no assistance from the vehicle's combustion engine."
" F o r d t h i n k s t h a t b o t h e l e c t r i c a n d h y d r a u l i c r e g e n e r a t i v e s ys t e m s h a v e a
f u t u r e , " s a ys J o h n B r e v i c k , a F o r d m e c h a n i c a l e n g i n e e r w o r k i n g o n t h e H L A
s y s t e m . " B u t f o r h e a v y v e h i c l e s l i k e o u r 1 0 , 0 0 0 - l b F - 3 5 0 t r u c k s , h yd r a u l i c s
a r e b e t t e r a t c a p t u r i n g l o s t e n e r g y t h a n e l e c t r i c s ys t e m s . "
Eaton's Bohlmann explains that the real advantage of h ydr aulics is in its
p o w e r d e n s i t y. " H yd r a u l i c s i s c a p a b l e o f t r a n s f e r r i n g e n e r g y v e r y q u i c k l y, "
s a ys B o h l m a n n . " T h e r a t e o f e n e r g y t r a n s f e r i s i n a h yb r i d e l e c t r i c s ys t e m o f
a si milar size is much lower."
Bohl mann adds that the specific vocation or driving c ycle of the vehicle
d e t e r m i n e s w h e t h e r a h yb r i d h yd r a u l i c o r h yb r i d e l e c t r i c s y s t e m i s b e s t
s u i t e d f o r t h e v e h i c l e . " T h i n k o f h yd r a u l i c s a s a s p r i n t e r , p r o v i d i n g f a s t
bursts of power," he sa ys. "An electric h ybrid is more like a marathon
runner."
"The challenge now is to make use of the regenerative braking s yste m
s e a m l e s s t o t h e c u s t o m e r , " s a y s F o r d ' s B r e v i c k . " We s t i l l h a v e r o o m f o r
i mprovements and feel the HLA s yste m has a lot of potential."
As for the future, Ford, Eaton, and the U.S. Environmental Protection
A g e n c y ( E PA) a r e j o i n t l y c o n d u c t i n g r e s e a r c h o n h y d r a u l i c h y b r i d v e h i c l e s ,
including internal combustion engines that would produce h ydraulic
pressure to drive the vehicle. Eaton signed both a technology license

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agree ment and a cooperative research and development agree ment with the
E PA f o r t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f f u t u r e g e n e r a t i o n s y s t e m s .
Inertia, Force and Mass
E v e r yt h i n g h a s i n e r t i a ; i f i t h a s a m a s s , i t h a s i n e r t i a . A h yb r i d r e c l a i m s
energy through the fundamentals of ph ysics. Do you reme mb er an y high
school or college ph ysics?
You a p p l y a f o r c e t o m o v e a n o b j e c t . T h e e q u a t i o n f o r t h i s i s :
F=ma
F being the force, m being the mass and
a being the acceleration
T he faster you want an object to accelerate, the more force yo u have to
a p p l y.
L e t s j u s t l o o k a t t h e e l e c t r i c m o t o r f o r n o w. E n e r g y f r o m t h e b a t t e r y
( Wat t s ) i s a p p l i e d t o t h e c o i l w i n d i n g s i n t h e m o t o r . T h e s e w i n d i n g s t h e n
produce a magnetic force on the rotor of the motor, which produces torque
on the output shaft. This torque is then applied to the wheels of the car via
a coupling of gears and shafts. When the wheel turns, it applies a force to
the ground, which due to friction between the wheel and the ground causes
the vehicle to move along the surface. This is like if yo u were in a boat at a
dock, and yo u grabbed the dock and pushed with you r arm. The force yo u
are generating is moving the boat relative to the location of the dock. The
m o r e f o r c e y o u a p p l y, t h e f a s t y o u g e t t h e b o a t t o m o v e .
Friction in H ybr ids
T here is friction ever ywh ere in the h ybrid s yste m. There is electrical
friction between the atoms and electrons moving in the wires between the
batter y and the motor and through the motor itself. There is magnetic
friction in the metal la minations that ma ke up the magnetic circuit of the
motor, as well as in the ma gnets again on the atomic level. Then, there is
mechanical friction between every moving part, such as the bearings, seals,
g e a r s , c h a i n s a n d s o o n . T h e b y - p r o d u c t o f f r i c t i o n i s h e a t . Ta k e y o u r h a n d s
rub them together and yo ur palms get warm. The faster you do it, the faster
t he y he a t up. Al s o, the har de r t he y a r e pr es s e d toge t he r, the fa s te r the y wil l
heat. Friction is energy lost to heat. When all of these losses are added up,
that is what determines the efficiency of the vehicle.
Frictional Losses in Conventional Cars
A standard car generates torque to move the wheels to drive the vehicle
down the road. During this time, it is generating friction and losses. When
yo u appl y standard brakes, it is just another friction device that has
speciall y designed material to handle the heat from friction, which is
applied to the drums and rotors that stop the wheel from turning. The
friction between the wheel and the ground stops the vehicle. This standard
vehicle has frictional losses to move the vehicleand uses the funda mental
b e h i n d f ri c ti o n a l l o ss e s to st o p th e v e h i cl e . S o it s a l o se - l os e si t u at i o n.

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T r a n s f e r r i n g Tor q u e B a c k t o t h e M o t o r
T h i s i n e r t i a i s t h e f u n d a m e n t a l p r o p e r t y o f p h ys i c s t h a t i s u s e d t o r e c l a i m
energy from the vehicle. Instead of using 100% of the foundation brakes of
the vehicle, which are the friction brakes, we now let the linkages back to
the motor such as the drive shafts, chains, and gears transfer the torque
from the wheels back into the motor shaft. One of the unique things about
most electric motors is that electrical energy can be transferred into
mechanical energy and also mechanical energy can be transferred back into
e l e c t r i c a l e n e r g y. I n b o t h c a s e s , t h i s c a n b e d o n e v e r y e f f i c i e n t l y.
Thus, through the technology of the motor and motor controller, the force at
the wheels becomes torque on the electric motor shaft. The magnets on the
shaft of the motor (called the rotorthe moving part of the motor) move
past the electric coils on the stator (the stationar y part of the motor)
passing the ma gnetic fields of the ma gnets through the coils producing
e l e c t r i c i t y. T h i s e l e c t r i c i t y b e c o m e s e l e c t r i c a l e n e r g y, w h i c h i s p u m p e d b a c k
t o t h e b a t t e r y. T h i s , i n t u r n , c h a r g e s t h e h y b r i d b a t t e r y p a c k . T h i s i s w h e r e
the co mme nt regeneration or reclai ming energy comes from.
T hat is the basics of how regeneration works. How much energy yo u can
reclaim depends on a lot of factors. There are different regeneration
theories and designs, which fall into two groups: one being called parallel
regen and the other called series regen, which are different from the parallel
a n d s e r i e s h yb r i d s . T h e s e r e g e n g r o u p s s t r i c t l y a r e d e s i g n t o p o l o g i e s f o r
b r a k i n g s ys t e m s . I t a l s o m a t t e r s h o w m a n y w h e e l s y o u a r e u s i n g t o r e c l a i m
e n e r g y. M o s t v e h i c l e s t o d a t e a r e f r o n t w h e e l d r i v e s o y o u c a n o n l y r e c l a i m
energy from the front wheels. The back wheels still waste energy to
standard friction brakes unless the y are somehow connected back to the
electric motor. The other factor is batter y state of charge and how hard can
y o u d r i v e t h a t e n e r g y b a c k i n t o t h e b a t t e r y.

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C H A P T E R 7 : CONCLUSION
T h e o r e t i c a l i n v e s t i g a t i o n s o f a r e g e n e r a t i v e b r a k i n g s ys t e m s h o w a b o u t 2 5 %
saving in fuel consumption.
The

lower

regenerative

operating

braking

conventional one.

and

s yste m

environment

should

make

costs
it

more

of

vehicle

attractive

with

than

T h e t r a d i t i o n a l c o s t o f t h e s ys t e m c o u l d b e r e c o v e r e d i n

t h e f e w y e a r s o n l y.
The exhaust e mission of vehicle using the regenerative braking concept
would be much less than equivalent conventional vehicles as less fuel are
used for consumption.
T hese s yste ms are particularl y suitable in developing countries such as
India where buses are the preferred means of transportation within the
cities.

BIBLIOGRAPHY

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1)

G e n e r a l M o t o r s Web s i t e ( w w w. g m . c o m ) .

2 ) w w w. s a e . o r g
3)

w w w. g o o g l e . c o m

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